State of Origin Rep

They should've gone with J.Trobevich. Strikes me as a real leader of men and would've learnt some stuff playing behind Smith for Australia. DCE has a lot to focus on with his own game and doesn't need the extra responsibility ATM.

Cherry-Evans benefits from having big game experience and playing in position that compliments the role.

After moving on the old guard, I expect Cherry-Evans to have his best season since 2014.

In other captaincy news, the Eels have named Tim Mannah and Beau Scott as co-captains. I never liked the idea and it hasn't served the Eels well since they started using it in 2013 with Hayne and Maitua.

They should have given it to Scott and called it a day. Mannah seems like a great bloke, but he's never relished in the role.

NRL Captain

THE NRL is set to approve a mobile phone ban in dressing rooms to combat concerns over potential player contact with gamblers and betting agencies. It comes following controversy about live broadcast footage showing injured players using mobiles during games.
AAP understands the ban will be tabled when the Australian Rugby League Commission meets on January 31 to discuss a raft of issues.
While the use of mobiles in dressing rooms may well be innocent — for example, an injured player might be contacting family to allay concerns — the perception has been an ongoing problem for the code.
Club doctors, football managers and two other designated personnel would be exempt from the proposed ban.
Gold Coast hooker Nathan Peats is the first player to speak out on the ban, labelling the idea “stupid”.
“Now how am I going to listen to music before the game? I think it’s stupid, player doesn’t come off injured & message some 1 to put a bet on,” he tweeted. The NRL is also likely to enforce a change to the traditional announcement of teams on Tuesdays, from a soft 17-man line-up to a strict 21-man squad. Coaches will then be forced to announce two drop-offs ahead of their last training session, and the final 17-man line-up to be confirmed an hour before kick-off.
The move is designed to eliminate shock team changes that have the potential to disrupt betting patterns in the lead-up to a match.

Yeah that's opening up to be rorted I'm afraid. We already saw exactly how many BS "head knocks" players got last year, purely for the free interchange. Now someone with any injury would just pretend it's a head knock to activate the 18th man.

International Captain

Yeah that's opening up to be rorted I'm afraid. We already saw exactly how many BS "head knocks" players got last year, purely for the free interchange. Now someone with any injury would just pretend it's a head knock to activate the 18th man.

Currently if a player is forced to go for the concussion test, it is a free interchange, it is also a free interchange to get the played undergoing the concussion test back onto the field if he is permitted to return before the 15 mins is up.

The way to stop clubs rorting this rule (especially since they are all well aware of what it takes to get a player to undergo one of these tests.) is certainly to have an independent NRL doctor at each match and makes the decision on who goes off for a test and also for the independent doctor to perform said test.

that would solve not only the problem of clubs using the concussion rule to get a free interchange, but also the problem of clubs leaving vital players on the field that should be off getting assessed

International Captain

Currently if a player is forced to go for the concussion test, it is a free interchange, it is also a free interchange to get the played undergoing the concussion test back onto the field if he is permitted to return before the 15 mins is up.

The way to stop clubs rorting this rule (especially since they are all well aware of what it takes to get a player to undergo one of these tests.) is certainly to have an independent NRL doctor at each match and makes the decision on who goes off for a test and also for the independent doctor to perform said test.

that would solve not only the problem of clubs using the concussion rule to get a free interchange, but also the problem of clubs leaving vital players on the field that should be off getting assessed

International Rep

So what? It still isn't fair that some players get taken out by illegal actions and they lose the victim for the rest of the game while the offender is usually penalised but continues to play and MAYBE gets suspended.

Where is the benefit for the victim's team? We all know no one gets sinbinned or sent off anymore unless they are 30m onside.